PATHOGENS

 INTRODUCTION

What is the definition of a pathogen?

Pathogens are microorganisms that enter the body of their hosts, develop, and cause illness in the host’s body. It just needs a host body in order to survive. Pathogens are capable of evading the immune system’s detection and response. It likewise relies on body fluids to maintain its existence. Based on the type of microbe, there are a variety of ways in which it might travel from one host to another.

Pathogens, for example, can be spread by the air, bodily fluids, skin contact, and other means.

Characteristics of Pathogens

The primary goal of pathogens is to survive and multiply within their host’s body. Their objective is to

1)Look for a body part that is compatible of survival and that has a lot of nutrients.

2)Infect the host

3)Avoiding Natural immunological reactions of Host  

4)Make a copy with the use of a host’s resources.

5)Attacking of New Host

6)Pathogens are extremely adept at studying a cell’s process and evolving in response in order to exploit their host species.

Pathogens Come in a Variety of Forms

Pathogens can be classified into four kinds, in order of importance. They are as follows:

1.)Viruses

Viruses are the most prevalent diseases found in the environment. The organism in question is infected by an infectious pathogen that has colonised its internal organs. By taking advantage of the host’s limited immunity, it targets the cells of the host. Viruses then make advantage of the chemicals produced by host cells. It also results in the production of additional viruses. When the replication cycle is completed, they move on to new hosts.

They mostly cause damage to infected cells. This can even remain dormant for an extended period of time before reproducing. All of these characteristics are characteristic of harmful viruses. It is the most common reason for viral infections to reoccur in the body of the person who has contracted them. Only a small number of antiviral medications are effective against these viruses.

2)Fungi 

On the plant, there are millions of different fungus species. Not every one of them is a disease-causing agent. It is estimated that just roughly 300 of these are responsible for disease. Fungi can be found almost anywhere, whether on the surface of the skin or within your food. They are only harmful if they grow to an excessive size.

Fungi have two layers of protection, a membrane and a cell wall, and they are extremely difficult to eradicate once they have established themselves. Depending on the type of fungal infection, the severity of the illness might range from mild to severe.

• Bacteria 

Bacteria are yet another sort of pathogen that can cause illness in humans. It is a single-celled organism that is tiny in size. Not all bacteria are pathogenic, just as not all fungi are pathogenic. Some bacteria are good for human health, and they are known as beneficial bacteria. For example, lactobacillus bacteria can be found in curd.

Viruses and bacteria that cause infection are classified as pathogenic. Antibiotics are usually effective in the treatment of bacterial illnesses

4)Parasites

This harmful bacterium persists and thrives in the body of its host, reaping the benefits of its presence. In exchange, it brings harm to the individual who is hosting it. Protozoa, ectoparasites, and helminths are the most common types of parasites found in the environment. It can travel by a number of different routes, including insect bites.

Diseases caused by pathogens.

1)Viruses:- Influenza, measles, herpes, COVID-19, chickenpox, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis A B C D, and other viruses are examples of pathogens.

2) Fungi:– It include ringworm, vaginal yeast infection, jock itch, and other conditions.

3)Bacteria :- They are responsible for diseases such as tuberculosis, gonorrhoea, and Lyme disease.

4)Parasites:– Malaria, intestinal worms, lice, and other parasites are examples of parasites.

Now that you’ve learned what a pathogen is, let’s talk about how to contain it from spreading.

“Precautions are better than Cure”

1)Getting your vaccinations on a regular basis.

2)Hands should be washed properly.

3)Food items should be stored with care.

4)Avoiding the sharing of personal products 

5)If you get symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea, stay at home.

6)Maintain a safe Sex Practice

7)Keep an eye out for bug bites. Make use of a substance such as a mosquito repellant

The Interaction of Pathogens and Their Hosts

According to how tightly their life cycle is tied to that of their host, pathogens are classed as facultative pathogens or obligate pathogens, respectively.

Facultative Pathogens:-Infectious pathogens that can reproduce in conditions other than the host are referred to as facultative pathogens. They are bacteria and fungi that are prevalent in the environment and have the potential to infect humans. Many of the most troublesome hospital-acquired microorganisms engaged in the antibiotic resistance pandemic can be found there, including many of the most troublesome antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The terms facultative and accidental pathogens are sometimes used to distinguish between pathogens that only infect weakened or immunocompromised hosts on an infrequent basis and those that infect healthy hosts more frequently. The bacteria Neisseria meningitidis and Escherichia coli are two examples of ‘accidental’ infections that occur often.

Obligate pathogens :– They are pathogens that require a host in order to finish their life cycle. All viruses are obligate pathogens, which means that they must rely on the cellular machinery of their hosts in order to reproduce. Bacteria, such as tuberculosis and syphilis agents, as well as protozoans (such as malaria parasites) and macroparasites are among the parasites that can infect humans.

Some diseases are required to infect many hosts in order to complete their life cycle. It is usually a vertebrate that serves as the definite host for the pathogen’s mature form, but the intermediate host (also known as a vector) is frequently an arthropod or mollusk. All viruses (such as the Zika virus), bacteria (such as Lyme disease), and protozoa (such as the Zika virus) are capable of switching between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts on a regular basis (malaria).

Some diseases are required to infect many hosts in order to complete their life cycle. It is usually a vertebrate that serves as the definitive host for the pathogen’s mature form, but the intermediate host (also known as a vector) is frequently an arthropod or mollusk. All viruses (such as the Zika virus), bacteria (such as Lyme disease), and protozoa (such as the Zika virus) are capable of switching between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts on a regular basis (malaria).

What is the mechanism by which pathogens spread disease?

Pathogens infect and inflict illness on their hosts in a number of different ways. The most obvious method is to cause direct destruction to tissues or cells during replication, usually by creating toxins, which allows the pathogen to spread to new tissues or leave the cells in which it has replicated. This method is also the most common. Botulinum toxin, also known as Botox in its commercial application, is one of the most dangerous poisons known to man. Other well-known examples are tetanus, anthrax, and botulinum toxin, which is known as Botox in its commercial application.

A powerful or sometimes excessive immune response that kills both infected and non-infected cells, as well as harm to host tissues, causes the majority of the damage to the host, on the other hand. Cirrhosis, liver cancer in patients with hepatitis B (10), or the 1918–1919 influenza epidemic, where the death count was highest among the young as well as healthy, possibly because they mounted the strongest autoimmune reaction and as a result they ended up dead from a ‘cytokine storm’ in the lungs, leaving patients literally drowning in their own body fluids,

CONCLUSION:-

A pathogen is described as an organism that causes disease in its host, with the intensity of the disease symptoms referred to as virulence. Pathogens are classified according to their ability to cause disease. Pathogens are taxonomically varied and include viruses, bacteria, and unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes, among other things.